amon lhaw

place name. Hill of Hearing, *(lit.) Hill of Ears

A hill on the shore of Nen Hithoel, companion to Amon Hen. This name was usually translated “Hill of Hearing” (LotR/393), but more literally meant “✱Hill of Ears” (LotR/400, PE17/77). It is a combination of amon “hill” and lhaw “ears”, the plural of lheweg “ear”.

Conceptual Development: The first mention of these hills in Lord of the Rings drafts were a collection of experimental names like N. Lhawhen that combined the elements of hearing and sight (TI/387). When the hills were separated, this one was named ᴹQ. Larmindon “✱Listen Tower” (TI/364), but it was soon changed to N. Amon Lhaw (TI/364).

Elements

Word	Gloss
amon	“hill, mountain with steep sides; lump, clump, mass, hill, (isolated) mountain; lump, clump, mass; [G.] steep slope”
lheweg	“ear”